Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Our Boy Gets Sappy and Reflective

Life is kinda funny, ain’t it?

My December has been flying by like it always does -- at warp speed, with barely a nanosecond passing between Monday and Friday. The whole year has been like that, partly because I’m so busy with stuff outside of work, partly because I’m just getting older.

So imagine my surprise when time seemed to slow down for me several times in the last week, as if the universe was offering me a chance to appreciate just how good I have it.

* I went out to lunch twice last week with a old friends I hadn’t seen for a while. It was fun to catch up and simply enjoy the conversation.

* Sunday night we attended a Christmas concert at a local church. The music was superb and my wife was invited to read a several Bible verses, which she did wonderfully. I don’t get to church very often, but this was a very relaxed and moving evening.

* My wife is also on the park board of the town where we live, so we were invited to the city’s Christmas luncheon today. It was nice hanging out for an hour of so with some people I have known most of my life and others I’ve only recently met. There was a lot of laughter (remind me to tell you how Kentucky’s Department of Homeland Security is protecting Bingo parlors against terrorists) and good food. Believe me, I’m all about the food. This was a reminder of why I’m glad I live in a small town.

* I had a nice talk with a good friend who has gone through some traumatic things this year. She’s found a way to express her feelings and direct her emotions in a positive way, and I’m very happy for her.

You know, I bitch and moan and wallow in self-pity as much as anybody, but occasionally things suddenly swim into focus like someone’s adjusting the lens on a microscope, and the good parts of my life – which outweigh the bad by a factor of, oh, say a thousand to one – are so clear it’s like they’re radioactive. I know this is not a permanent change, and next week I may be the same cranky guy again, yet for this one moment, I can cherish what I have. It’s a pretty good life. Maybe it’s not a Frank Capra-style life, but I’ll take it.

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